Pearl hunting

Pearl hunting or pearl diving refers to a now largely obsolete method of retrieving pearls from pearl oysters, freshwater pearl mussels and, on rare occasions, other nacre-producing creatures, such as abalone.

History

Before the beginning of the 20th century, the only means of obtaining pearls was by manually gathering very large numbers of pearl oysters (or pearl mussels) from the ocean floor (or lake or river bottoms). The bivalves were then brought to the surface, opened, and the tissues searched.

In order to find enough pearl oysters, free-divers were often forced to descend to depths of over 100 feet on a single breath, exposing them to the dangers of hostile creatures, waves, and drowning, often as a result of deep water blackout on resurfacing.cite book |last=Rahn |first=H. |coauthors=Yokoyama, T. |title=Physiology of Breath-Hold Diving and the Ama of Japan. |year=1965 |publisher=National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council |location=United States |isbn=0309013410 |pages=369 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/3279 |accessdate=2008-08-07 ] Often, because of these dangers, divers were slaves or of low social status (which is also true of many fisherfolk around the world). Because of the difficulty of diving and the unpredictable nature of natural pearl growth in pearl oysters, pearls of the time were extremely rare and of varying quality.

In Asia some pearl oysters could be found on shoals at a depth of 5-7 feet (1.5-2 meters) from the surface, but more often than not divers had to go 40 feet (12 meters) or even up to 125 feet (40 meters) deep to find enough pearl oysters, and these deep dives were extremely hazardous to the divers. In the 19th century, divers in Asia had only very basic forms of technology to aid their survival at such depths. For example, in some areas, they greased their bodies to conserve heat, put greased cotton in their ears, wore a tortoise-shell clip to close their nostrils, and had a wide mouthed basket or net to hold the oysters.cite book
last = Catelle
first = W. R.
title = The Pearl: Its Story, Its Charm, and Its Value
url = http://www.farlang.com/gemstones/catelle-the-pearl/page_171
accessdate =
year = 1457
publisher = J. B. Lippincott Company
location = Philadelphia & London
pages = 171
chapter = Methods of Fishing]

However, the late Ming Dynasty Chinese book "Tiangong Kaiwu", published in the year 1637, showed a new method for pearl divers. Its author Song Yingxing wrote of the methods of pearl diving in Guangdong.cite journal
last = Needham
first = Joseph
coauthors = Ling, Wang; Gwei-djen, Lu
year = 1971
title = Civil Engineering and Nautics
journal = Science and Civilisation in China
volume = Volume 4: Physics and Physical Technology
issue = 3
pages = 668
publisher = Needham Research Institute
location = Robinson College] Song wrote that these divers were able to stay underwater for prolonged periods of time since a secure rope was tied around their waists connected to the ship as they breathed through a long curving pipe that led up above the surface of the water. This long breathing tube was strengthened by rings of tin and fastened to a watertight leather face mask. A drawn illustration of this was provided in his book.cite journal
last = Needham
first = Joseph
coauthors = Ling, Wang; Gwei-djen, Lu
year = 1971
title = Civil Engineering and Nautics
journal = Science and Civilisation in China
volume = Volume 4: Physics and Physical Technology
issue = 3
pages = 669
publisher = Needham Research Institute
location = Robinson College]

For thousands of years, most seawater pearls were retrieved by divers working in the Indian Ocean, in areas such as the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and in the Gulf of Mannar (between Sri Lanka and India). A surviving fragment from the book "Journey Around Parthia" by Isidore of Charax, a 1st century geographer from the city of Charax on the northern end of the Persian Gulf, deals with the subject of pearl fishing.

Pearl divers near the Philippines were also successful at harvesting large pearls, especially in the Sulu Archipelago. In fact, pearls from the Sulu Archipelago were considered the "finest of the world" which were found in "high bred" shells in deep, clear, and rapid tidal waters. At times, the largest pearls belonged by law to the sultan, and selling them could result in the death penalty for the seller. However many made it out of the archipelago in stealth ending up in the possession of the wealthiest families in Europe. [http://www.farlang.com/gemstones/streeter_pearls_and_pearling/page_137 Streeter's Pearls and pearling life] dedicates a chapter to the Sooloo islands. Streeter was one of the leading and most influential English jewelers in the 19th century and outfitted his own Schoener the Shree-Pas-Sair which he sailed as well and on which he himself went pearl fishing in 1880. (See for illustration of divers on Schoener [http://www.farlang.com/gemstones/streeter_pearls_and_pearling/page_001 Pearl fishers obtaining the world's best pearls] . Streeter furthermore led a consortium to compete with Baron Rothschild to lease Ruby mines in Burma. ]

In a similar manner as in Asia, Native Americans harvested freshwater pearls from lakes and rivers like the Ohio, Tennessee, and Mississippi, while others successfully retrieved marine pearls from the Caribbean and waters along the coasts of Central and South America.

In the time of colonial slavery in northern South America (off the northern coasts of modern Colombia and Venezuela), a unique occupation amongst slaves was that of a pearl diver. A diver's career was often short-lived because the waters being searched were known to be shark-infested, resulting in frequent attacks on divers. However, a slave who discovered an extra-large pearl could sometimes purchase his freedom. It was thought at the time that sexual activity increased buoyancy, so male slaves who were divers were prohibited from any contact with women. Slave owners kept slave quarters male-only, and because of this, homosexuality was relatively high amongst slave pearl divers. cite book
last = Rout Jr.
first = Leslie B.
title = The African Experience in Spanish America
date = 1976-07-30
publisher = Cambridge University Press
isbn = 0-521-20805-X
pages = 78]

The present

Today, pearl diving has largely been supplanted by cultured pearl farms, which use a process developed by Japanese entrepreneur Kokichi Mikimoto. Particles implanted in the oyster encourage the formation of pearls, and allow for more predictable production. Today's cultured pearl industry produces millions of high quality pearls every year.

Pearl diving in the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers still exists today. These pearls are called natural pearls, because they are created by mother nature alone, and are not cultivated by humans. Their shapes are uniquely baroque. Less than 1% are found in the classic round shape. They are very rare and considered collectors items.

References

ee also

*Fijiri - vocal music of the Arabian pearl diver.
*cite book | last = Ganter | first = Regina | year = 1994 | title = The Pearl-Shellers of Torres Strait: Resource Use, Development and Decline, 1860s-1960s | publisher = Melbourne University Press | isbn = 0-522-84547-9
* [http://www.farlang.com/gemstones/kunz_book_of_the_pearl/page_003 George Frederick Kunz: Book of the Pearl] (G.F. Kunz was America's leading gemologist and worked for Tiffany's in the beginning of the 20th century)

External links

* [http://www.pearl-guide.com/pearl-history.shtml The Pearl Guide]
* [http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/pearls/obtain/index.html American Museum of Natural History]